In search for perfect preschool

So many things to consider when searching for that perfect preschool and among them is the playground.It can’t be too big or too small, but just that perfect size with the perfect complexity to keep the little ones excited, yet safe. / Courtesy of Jane Han

By Jane Han

As far as starting school goes, my guiding philosophy has always been to keep the kids home till they turn four.

I’m still all for my original plan, but it’s increasingly becoming more obvious that, for my girls, I’m just not enough.

The twins not only have me, but they also have each other plus their baby sister, who sort of doubles as a human-sized Baby Alive, but multiple times a day, they still can’t help but look bored as heck.

Sure, we do playdates, playgrounds and pretty much any and all local activities that are suitable for toddlers.

But it seems like when children ― with all that energy and curiosity ― become of a certain age, they need to be challenged and stimulated in new and creative ways on a daily basis.

What better way than good old school?

And so the search began.

I had no idea there were this many number of schools within a 10-mile radius to my home.

A quick Google search drew more than 60 preschools.

I didn’t know if it was a good thing or bad thing.

I love options, but I wasn’t about to spend the next three months touring 60 schools with three toddlers.

After some preliminary research, I learned that my options go into three major categories: Montessori, private daycare-style preschools and church schools also known as Mom’s Day Out programs.

The first two provide full-time programs geared toward working moms who need extended care, so these were too much for what I needed.

I just wanted Ellen and Ann to attend preschool a couple of hours, two or three days a week at most. So in my case, church schools worked best.

Dallas is home to many large churches, which also ― thankfully ― offer excellent early childhood programs for a very reasonable tuition. We’re looking at $250 a month per child for a two-day program and $350 for three days.

So after hours of more research, talking to mom friends and combing through each school’s every available online presence, I narrowed my list down to 10 promising possibilities.

Some of the factors I considered most were distance to home, student-teacher ratio, curriculum and facility’s cleanliness and safety.

So here I was, starting off my very first preschool tour.

I know it wasn’t necessary, but I dressed my best in an effort to look like a responsible and put-together mom. And I made sure the girls also looked nice and tidy, making sure every strand of hair was neatly combed back.

First impressions matter, right?

But as soon as I laid foot in the school door, I almost instantly realized that our neat looks wouldn’t last long.

Ellen and Ann’s baby sister Lauren was pulling my hair, crying at every stranger she saw in the building, while her two sisters were also out of control, running up and down the hall like chickens.

My list of questions never made it out of my purse.

Although things didn’t go as planned (do they ever?) we still managed to get a guided tour by the school director and were briefed on their curriculum and activities.

It was 15 minutes of chaos, but I walked out the building feeling confident that the girls would enjoy spending time there.

That’s all that mattered.

But the real problem emerged when I visited six more schools and I ended up liking five of them.

Am I not too picky enough or what?

All of these schools appeared to be doing all the right things.

The one school that didn’t make my elimination list did not have a bathroom in each toddler classroom like all the others did.

At this point when Ellen and Ann aren’t fully potty trained, I don’t feel comfortable sending them off to school where the bathroom is on the opposite side of the hallway.

If we’re talking about a bathroom in every classroom, you get the level we’re looking at.

So yes, deciding school for my daughters is definitely going to be tougher than it was deciding my college of choice.

I’m still in the process of completing my school tours, but I’ve decided to waitlist the girls in two of the schools we saw.

Registration began three months ago, so we got a late start hence the waiting list.

I thought I was going to be the one choosing, but I guess we’ll have to keep our fingers crossed to get chosen for this fall.

In the meantime, my school searching will continue.

Mom’s having too much fun, yet again.